Eric Johnson

Eric Johnson performing at the Fender stage at NAMM for the release of the Eric Johnson signature rosewood Stratocaster. Eric Johnson performing at the Fender stage at NAMM for the release of the Eric Johnson signature rosewood Stratocaster. Photographed by Max Crace/Fhoto: flickr.com Photographed by Max Crace / Fhoto: flickr.com The son of the nation, a real talent Eric Johnson Saint David’s Hospital Austin. Eric Johnson was born on August 17, 1954 in Saint David’s Hospital of the city Austin. Being the youngest of five children – three sisters and one brother – he was already at the age of three years he was known by his father’s passion for classical music and jazz. “Johnson Houston, “Elvis He always listened to the recording,”- said Johnson of his father, an anesthesiologist retired, now living in Houston,”He also loved all the other kinds of music. At a time when Elvis was the most famous, he bought me his record. The music loved both of my parents, so they tried to encourage us to take private piano lessons. “Johnson, The lessons on the piano was the worst tragedy that could happen to any restless child, but not for Johnson, who began training at the age of five years. He wanted to start doing two years earlier, but then he said he still could not quite focus. South Pacific, Oklahoma The Sound of Music) Johnson. In between music lessons and regular family trips to picnic (mainly to see musicals such as South Pacific, Oklahoma and The Sound of Music) gradually forms a musical upbringing Johnson. And in the age of eight he began to write his first songs. “Johnson, “Going to the teacher contributed to the development of my hearing”- says Johnson,”You could sit somewhere where he could not see the piano keys, and she took note and asked – ‘What’s the note that was?’. I always thought, it was just a fun game, but now I realize that it is trying to develop us to the maximum, so that we can learn the notes – that developing you as a musician. This is a unique musical alphabet, with which you can reflect on their own music, which excludes the dependency, which gives people when confronted with the notes. “Johnson When Johnson began to perform his”little ridiculous”tunes, he received continuous encouragement. Eric Orville Wyss Ah Via Musicom”. Eric thanks her teacher Orville Wyss in comments to”Ah Via Musicom”. And he says this every time begins to improvise. Today, however, with gratitude for the ability to play with his hearing, he regrets that at the time did not learn well read sheet music, so when he had to deal with this abundance of classical music. Mozart Johnson CD. Rather than sit and learn to play the piano concert of Mozart, Johnson had to learn note for note text, or to buy CD. Mozart. Then he was still a little problem with the distinction of chords when he analyzed all the same concert Mozart. “G-major, B-flat, G-7″, – Right there was a G-major, and it was a B-flat, and G-7”, – says he grumbled, “There is no doubt, the notes have a certain color, you can grab it and hear a note. And when you’re trying to hear the appeal until , how to catch the hidden melody, you hear the whole structure and architecture. But you have to work at it. And I’m working on it. “But at the age of ten years of work on the classical sonatas started to become boring for him, while improvising, on the contrary, seemed more exciting. One day, on his way home, he came across his brother, who also jamming with his band – they just play the guitar. Beach Boys Ventures. That was in 1964 – at a time when there was nothing cooler Beach Boys and the Ventures. Johnson Ventures, When Johnson heard the young playing brother and his band, mimicking ringing, heavy and powerful sound Ventures, he was dumbfounded.”Johnson I think I know the time when I first heard the sound of an electric guitar,”- said Johnson of the day – the day when he decided he wanted to play guitar. “Nokie Edwards Ventures Yardbirds Clapton, Beatles Rolling Stones. Beatles Brian Jones, Nokie Edwards and the Ventures were my initial stimulus that was a little before Yardbirds and Clapton, and even more so when talking about the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. I love the Beatles and Brian Jones, but my game was more like strumming, and I needed was electric. “Johnson The following year, Johnson got his first guitar, and for many guitarists was a long time before anything was obtained. He finished as an idealist taking piano lessons, and now home music lessons turned into a guitar playing without stopping. The Id (I didn’t even know what that word meant”- Johnson Alaska At thirteen, he joined his first band – The Id (by analogy with the”I did not even know what that word meant”- I did not understand what the word means), but was soon thrown out after with Johnson spent many family vacations in Alaska, and, after returning home, found his rhythm guitarist place was busy. He was overwhelmed by it, but soon realized that his talent is very valuable for many, and therefore the future of their own accord changed several groups.”Johnson, I was cautious with respect to this”, – said Johnson, taking into account their talent at the time,”I was valuable to the group in which I played, but I’m hanging around with guys older than me. They said something like that, – ‘Why do we have to play with that jerk who just thirteen years old?’, and they are in some way were right. I remember myself at thirteen, fourteen years old: I fell asleep right on the equipment, as the time was near the hour night. I dedicate the music so much time that it separates me from school affairs and other things. “Johnson Looking back, Johnson says that the tool replaced him many ordinary things that are inherent in ordinary childhood child. Eric, But back to the present, it is to say that 1967 was not an easy year for Eric, when you can choose between the usual children’s games and discos in school – especially if you have a huge interest in everything that concerns electric guitar. Jimi Hendrix Are You Experienced?”. In 1967, Jimi Hendrix recorded his debut album”Are You Experienced?”. It turned musical influence Stephen Ray Vaughan (Joe Satriani Steve Vai . Like Stephen Ray Vaughan (also born in 1954), Joe Satriani and Steve Vai. Johnson Jimi Hendrix Johnson immediately became an integral part of that generation of guitarists who are just starting to learn the language of Six-String (while Jimi Hendrix is already full shine), and within three years, fully understand the language of his instrument.”Johnson c Hendrix,”When I first heard it, I could not figure it out,”- said Johnson c reverence to Hendrix,”I believe that it was definitely weird. I could tell that he played great, but it was too hard for me. I could not recognize his music – it was too unbelievable. And then, months later, I began to delve into the essence, and that was something! Johnson Hendrix. At first, Johnson did not even try to play the new songs for him Hendrix. He just listened. Eric Hendrix Jimi. Eric intrigued that no matter how many notes and chords of the songs Hendrix he was not playing, it’s too different from the present game Jimi. “Johnson, “Purple Haze, And gradually I realized the way he plays,”- emphasizes Johnson,”I could play the part of Purple Haze, but I could not get the same sound.”Johnson Vaughan Hendrix – Little Wing”, Johnson Voodoo Chile”, Vaughan. Clearly aware of the fact that Johnson and Vaughan are two sides of the same coin magical phenomenon Hendrix – you can see it from the comforting song”Little Wing”, played by Johnson and cruel”Voodoo Chile”, reborn in the hands of Vaughan.”Steve”, – Johnson Vaughan, I’ve always loved rhythm and blues play Steve”, – said Johnson of Vaughan, with whom he played a little in the seventies. “Eric, “Steve Hendrix. Hendrix.””My girlfriend and he was the best my friends at the time,”- says Eric,”Steve had the same energy as Hendrix. But on the other hand there was something poetic and yet these touching guitar solo: In general, there was a lot of Hendrix. “Johnson With regards to the poetic, the Johnson tried to catch it in secret they played each phrase. Hendrix – He absorbed the flavor, which had a musical masterpiece Hendrix – but, of course, he not only borrowed a little bit from its style, but also found something of their own private. Johnson Freddie King Johnny Winter . During the second half of the sixties and the beginning of the next decade, Johnson did not sit at home listening to the recording of blues maestro, and spent a lot of time in clubs, watching the play of Holy music as Freddie King and Johnny Winter. Austin, Jade Room, Vulcan Gas Company, New Orleans Club Armadillo. He visited these clubs in the city Austin, as the Jade Room, Vulcan Gas Company, New Orleans Club, and his favorite Armadillo. These shows were for him something more than just concerts, attracting his attention. Johnny Richardson Georgetown Medical Band, Tim Mings New Atlantis, John Staehaley Chain Gang, Pumpkin Shepard’s Bush After the appearance of Johnny Richardson from Georgetown Medical Band, Tim Mings of New Atlantis, John Staehaley from Chain Gang, Pumpkin and Shepard’s Bush was common for visitors to these clubs. Eric Johnson, What can we say about the future work of Eric Johnson, it became more and more experimenting with instrumental music. Jeff Beck . What mainly contributed to the influence of music Jeff Beck. Vince Mariani – Johnson as well as his personal acquaintance with Vince Mariani – a local musician who later became a real mentor by Johnson and with whom he has worked for quite a large part of his career. Mariani Mariani introduced him to the audience, inspired him to write the album. Johnson Desert Rose”Ah Via Musicom”, And Johnson is co-author on the track”Desert Rose”to the album”Ah Via Musicom”, which, incidentally, he sponsored. Electromagnetic Jazz Eric Johnson Eric Johnson was about halfway through his musical development when it shook the greatest blow.”Jimi Hendrix Johnson, “Yes Emerson, Lake Palmer, The sea of ​​hope in the music world, died when Jimi Hendrix died,”- recalls with sadness Johnson,”And then came a time when the guitar has become very unpopular, as manifested in the work of groups such as Yes and Emerson, Lake and Palmer, from that guitar for a long time did not appear in the foreground of compositions. In this regard, I did not know what the future in relation to guitar music. “Hendrix But the death of Hendrix’s not over. Cream. The year before, the group broke up Cream. Derek The Dominoes Derek and The Dominoes scattered like the Earth and the comet Galileo. Led Zeppelin And besides, by 1973, to Led Zeppelin’s really fallen on hard times. Johnson Chick Corea Return To Forever Hymn of The Seventh Galaxy”, Eric Corea, Miles Davis (John McLaughlin) Fortunately for Johnson in 1973, Chick Corea at the head of the group Return To Forever released the album”Hymn of The Seventh Galaxy”, which opened to Eric mega-wrecking style preached while in the same Corea, as well as Miles Davis (pupil of John McLaughlin) and his group. Jeff Beck Johnson It was blazing an unprecedented jazz-rock, which included a fusion trend Jeff Beck and some classic jazz that Johnson admired since childhood. “Johnson, “Willie Nelson This entry was radically precarious at that time”, – said Johnson, “then became a popular country-rock, but I do not want to play that kind of music. Although I loved Willie Nelson and the music of this kind, but I was not inspired as a guitarist. The more that you could still play if they do not fusion, it is the hallmark of a guitar. It was for me as common as going to school, because it brings me back to the roots – to listen to jazz records, ie their study. “Johnson The Electromagnets, Austin Over the next year, Johnson studied fusion and taught that his group, The Electromagnets, that despite the fact that Austin was a common fermerovskim the city in 1974 was widely known. But on the other hand is the city was different. “Johnson, “Weather Report’, People often simply do not want to see us in the city”, – says Johnson, “At that time, if you were from Texas, people expect you to some country stuff. Then we had to wear cowboy boots that though kak the intrigue the audience. We were on the stage dressed in cowboy hats, and began playing tunes like ‘Weather Report’, and the like, in principle, to threaten our style of music. “Electromagnets MusicMania But be that as it may, Electromagnets found their fans on both coasts, and then they released their independent album, which was released by the label MusicMania and cost $ 50. Johnson But despite the growing anxiety Johnson found the group very complex and”intelligent”material, which they then appeared in public. Electromagnets Johnson By 1976 (a year before the team broke Electromagnets) Johnson realized that it’s time to add vocals, and on this occasion went into the studio to record some solo material. Electromagnets As a result, he was quite satisfied -“Pop vocal was similar to the one I’m doing now”- and it sent a draft Electromagnets history. Eric Go-Go”Kathy Valentine, Electromagnets (Bill Maddox Roscoe Beck) After six months of inactivity, which gave Eric’s time to do the technique of the game, which was, among other things, to”Go-Go”Kathy Valentine, he found himself, again, together with the rhythm section Electromagnets (drummer Bill Maddox and bassist Roscoe Beck ) got to his feet. Johnson (Then, nevertheless, they share thoughts followed Johnson (according to its material), which is no longer looked like a fuyuzhn. Climbing on a pedestal Johnson Bill Ham ZZ Top, Stevie Ray Vaughan Van Wilks. When Johnson in 1977 signed an exclusive six-year contract with Bill Ham, he not only became equally known as ZZ Top, but also joined the elite of the super guitarists like Stevie Ray Vaughan and Van Wilks. Dodge Bill Ham Johnson The demons in his hand, with a growing reputation for the Dodge & novice city with Bill Ham rubs Johnson made another huge step in his career. Seven Worlds”, Some time later, after the recording of their debut album”Seven Worlds”, the time has come to expect proposals. Eric Johnson Joe Nick Patoski Bill Crawford Stevie Ray Vaughan. And such a proposal was received: Eric Johnson said he wanted to participate in a new project Joe Nick Patoski and Bill Crawford with Stevie Ray Vaughan. “Eric Lone Wolf Management Maybe it would be better if they asked me about it,”- he says a little worried Eric about the project,”I’ve worked with people offering sensible projects, but most people in the Lone Wolf Management did not want to do anything other than projects a big name, but at the same time, the other did not want to deal with it, because it is assumed that it will not bring income. Rather correct to say that it is in their opinion could not be sold, that there has been a difference in the world of simple and super deals. “Lone Wolf Management – JWWilliams Eric Johnson Johnson.”Vice President of Lone Wolf Management – JWWilliams confirmed it, -“Eric certainly entitled the most significant project that has ever been with him. We saw it as a very versatile person, and we have not even thought about the fact that the album is bad will be perceived as that we signed with him the best for both of us transaction. Remembering the seventies can be said that there were very few really strong labels, and in this case we did not want Johnson lost in the hustle and bustle. And I must say that we made the right choice. We do not even worry about the project, because we knew the value of Johnson.”Johnson Johnson once said about the project as a thought to start from the beginning, but the producers did not see the point in it, and after all, deal with something that was not in his power. Ham Johnson But the recording of the album was postponed, and all thanks to the fact that Ham did not allow Johnson to play in clubs that would like to”create the mystery.”Eric Johnson Bill Ham. And it’s all nullified Eric as a guitarist – so it was for six years until Johnson could not terminate the contract with Bill Ham. Johnson During this time, Johnson gave a rare acoustic concert with other guitarists. He thus lost the fans who had been then. Bill Ham Vaughan Johnson Periodic Commercial Bill Ham race with other producers have made him a true businessman, but Vaughan and Johnson walked slowly to the bottom of his musical career. Johnson Johnson did not know what to do. No doubt he felt bitter about the lost six years.”Johnson All this time I was trying to overcome fate,”- said Johnson, without any enthusiasm in his voice,”And in the end I said to myself – ‘Man, it does not matter. Forget about it.”I do not care about the burden that I carry myself. health to me now to reflect this, and free access to the senses.”Johnson Typical Johnson is a quiet, polite man, free from all the negative influences that surround him everywhere. Seven Worlds”, That incidentally was not noticeable on the album”Seven Worlds”, where he showed his stern character, reflected in the music, divided into”good enough”and”rather old-fashioned.”The publication Eric Johnson Bill Ham This did not happen until 1984, when Eric Johnson finally saw the light of day: a contract with Bill Ham expired. Johnson Austin City Limits. Without hesitation Johnson almost immediately found a place in the Austin City Limits. Soulful Terrain”Jimmy Reed. Execution of”Soulful Terrain”was an acoustic tribute to Jimmy Reed. Cliffs of Dover”- Johnson. He also wrote an early version of”Cliffs of Dover”- an excellent unforgettable melody that has become the standard of sound and performance of Johnson. Certainly the old days, the eternal disorder affected the content of his compositions. The Prince And most of all it acted then The Prince and his crazy tunes. Prince Austin City Limits, The whole story began with the fact that Prince saw the show Austin City Limits, which was presented in 1985. Warner Bros. He immediately called to his label Warner Bros. Eric Johnson. and said that they should meet with the Texan, whose name is Eric Johnson. Johnson Warner Bros. And a month later Johnson joined Warner Bros. Jimi Hendrix. where once he recorded Jimi Hendrix.”Prince Eric.”After that, Prince and I hung out together everywhere”, – she says laughing Eric.”Warner. David Tickle, Tones”, Just kidding. I have never confirmed the validity of this story. I told only about what heard myself. I think I told about it someone from Warner. Maybe David Tickle, the producer of the album”Tones”, told me about it. He says this in order to make the advertisement, I suppose.”Prince Wendy Lisa, Tones”. All the same, whether it’s true or not, but the fact that the Prince do official favors Wendy and Lisa, enrolling as backing vocals on”Tones”. Johnson With excellent contract in hand, with the new leaders of the record company behind him Johnson thus found its way, no longer messing around. He wanted to roll out their records as much as possible, but again met with resistance from the leadership of the label.”Johnson,”They were scared to death,”- says Johnson,”I continued to insist on his own, telling them – ‘Why do not you let me do this?’ They answered me, – ‘Do you have a producer.”Thus, they denied me the opportunity to do something yourself, it was again waiting time – a year or more.”Inability to find himself on the side of the producer was also the fact that many would like to make it look like some who have gone before him. Warner Bros. Warner Bros. also wanted to make it sound like someone else. Dozens of others’ opinions levied on all sides – they wanted him to agree with them until their release. It was something like this: They asked him, -“Do you like this sound?”He answered them, -“I want to say that it is good, but it’s not me. I do not want to copy anyone. I only want to me accompanied by at least a small success, which came to me through a lot of instrumentals, long songs and an album that I want to fill a variety of styles of music.”As a result, both the opposition agreed on David Tickle, who was working on a project Split Enz’s Wiatata, very impressed Johnson. It really was a way out of the conflict. After that, the legendary Union Tickle and Johnson sat down in the studio album”Tones”on a long two months. The first blues album”At the moment I’m interested in what happened that took so much of my time?”- Joked Johnson, referring to his reputation as the studio,”I remember when I write constantly saying, ‘Oh, David, I’m sorry, can I dub this part? Can I overwrite it?’ And thus I thought that I could make the album better, but David was aware that the work in the studio was for us a very expensive pastime, so we had to finish as quickly as possible. And at some point I did say – ‘We must hand it to you – that’s right! ‘”While at other times (except, perhaps, the last stages of information) Warner Bros. like my record – not quite enough to spin, but good enough for release. But despite this, Johnson did not see these records in stores. During the tour with Blue Oyster Cult and Steve Morse (he has long promoted Johnson on stage) Eric was constantly surrounded by fans, who apparently had been fascinated by its performance. And Johnson, meanwhile, was nominated for a Grammy that year, when he released his first single”Zap”. While negative criticism from music publications subsided, and instead she came to praise. But the album sold only 50,000 copies in circulation – quite successful in commercial terms, but not enough, it would remain in the ranks of the greats. Then Warner Bros. They tore up the contract with Johnson, not even listening to his point of view. Completely free for Action At that time, as Johnson was little more than thirty, he released his solo album single. To say that he was upset by this is to say nothing. But that everyone was better than being under the tutelage of Ham (or other producers), but still be shackled hand and foot by the obligations stipulated in the contract. Still, he found a way out – Cinema Records gave him a free hand to record their second album. Max Crace / Vanguard Records / Vortexan Music It was a chance for Johnson to resume fully his career. One can imagine such a good-natured guitarist with a gleam in his eyes, raises his hands to heaven and giggled,”Oh God, oh God!”.”They told me that they like what I do and what I can do what I wish,”- said Johnson,”And then I said to myself – ‘God is great! This is my chance to do what I wish. ” But by the middle of your work Johnson learns that Cinema loses its distribution rights with Capitol Records. But fortunately for Eric He’s already a lot of time to burn, so Capitol, which had the rights to his contract allows him to continue recording. They are also the guitarist left alone, that at first glance is not a sound idea.”In my hands I was then all the work associated with the guitar, and I’m not behind them until he convinced them of the correctness of their ideas,”- says Johnson,”I’m just convinced, persuaded and convinced them until they have understood it.””I am ready to agree with the people that if they offer is really more interesting ideas. But I never reach the interaction with people if they do not accept the fact that I’m good enough in my game. That’s why I insist on his”- said Johnson. After two or three months on the album”Tones”Eric Johnson moved to the end of his latest project, which took fifteen months of work fourteen hours a day – the album”Ah Via Musicom”. He used to take a track basis, often not very full track itself solos, and basically worked with the amplifier, sitting in the studio for hours, looking for the most appropriate sound and great tone. After the release of the 1990 first edition of”Ah Via Musicom”many thought that he did not bring a big commercial success. But it is possible, thanks to a variety of literary criticism from the media and music with the help of promotion Capitol Records album very quickly soared to the heights of the number of sales. As a result, as Johnson and direct performances of such songs as”Cliffs of Dover,””Righteous,””Trademark”and”High Landrons”album went gold, being sold in excess of 800,000 copies. Later album”Tones”was re-released to the delight of fans, and has been sold to date in the amount of approximately 400,000 copies. At the end of all this, Johnson decided to pay tribute to his very first hometown fans who voted for him, did it win the loudest (along with Joe Ely and Stevie Ray Vaughan) at the presentation of Austin Music Awards. US fans nationwide awarded him the title of”master of his instrument,”and in 1990, readers of the magazine”Guitar Player”brought another surprise for Eric, calling it”the best guitar player”, as, indeed, and Steve Vai. The magazine”Musician”Johnson enrolled in a hundred of the best musicians of the 20th century as the best guitarist. Later more without errors. Finally, Johnson found the scene where his music heard, began to appreciate and gave create their own unique image. He filled the arena with their fans, who simply went scrip from the charming Texan. One day after the tour with Joe Satriani, who opened the door for Eric Johnson in the instrumental world, he became convinced that he will be able to sponsor his new project – a live album. In one of the issues to Satriani, given in an interview he said that he found the game Johnson something charming and wonderful: Joe saw in Eric literally something like that playing off the ground, creating during his speech implausible aura. Speaking of awards and titles, which were awarded to a huge array of Eric Johnson is impossible not to draw attention to the Grammy. Perhaps this award is by far the highest revelation from the world of music, acknowledging Johnson’s greatest musician. He won a Grammy in 1992 in the category”Best Instrumental Performance”. “I was frankly surprised,” – says Eric about his victory, which was his real gift. Original text Contribute a better translation